The intent of Cal Poly’s 100-percent online M.S. in Packaging Value Chain degree program is to provide working professionals with opportunities to assume leadership roles and advance their careers.
Learn more about the program to see if it sounds like the right fit for you.
What does the term “packaging value chain” mean?
The term packaging value chain refers to the network of interconnected businesses and their value creation processes, covering all stages of suppliers – from the point of origin of a packaging solution and all tiers of customers out to the point of consumption of the product and the ultimate end-of-life of the packaging. As the power of business customers grows with the increasing technology development, information ubiquity and globalization of markets, delivering customer value is becoming increasingly critical. From packaging being regarded merely as a logistical or materials issue, there has been a substantial shift in the value-creating logic of the packaging industry.
As a business function, packaging spans the entire range of a packaged goods company’s activities and brings the holistic agenda to the table. In doing so, it becomes the strategic enabler that helps other functions deliver benefits to the consumer. Strategically considered, packaging incorporates procurement, R&D, marketing, sales, sustainability and plays a role in defining margins and profitability.
Industry Endorsements of the M.S. Packaging Value Chain Program
“Though there are existing graduate-level academic programs in the field of packaging, there is not one that offers students a holistic perspective of the role packaging plays in the business environment. In particular, the combination of courses in data analytics, logistics, regulations, design and materials allows for students to consider the total value of the packaging system.”
— Dr. Dana Breed, COCA-COLA COMPANY
“OIA is actually performing, globally, the concepts related to Cal Poly’s M.S. Packaging Value Chain curriculum. What you will be teaching took OIA years of development and over $2 million in R&D to the point of market implementation. I can testify after 25 years in the packaging industry, this program, which follows your M.S. Packaging Value Chain academics, is the most relevant and important program this industry has ever seen.”
— Marc Bevilacqua, VP GLOBAL PACKAGING, OIA GLOBAL
Career Opportunities
Graduates of Cal Poly’s MSPVC degree will be equipped for work at companies in a variety of industries, such as product manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, 3PLs, transportation companies, military contractors, management consulting, and design firms. The departments best suited for these graduates include packaging, operations, supply chain, line management, manufacturing, procurement, distribution, planning, new product launch, and marketing amongst others.
